China investigates provincial official who was former aide to ex-security czar

BEIJING – China's ruling Communist Party says a top political adviser in a southwestern province has been placed under investigation by its internal disciplinary agency.

The party's anti-graft commission said on its website that Li Chongxi, head of an advisory body to Sichuan province's rubberstamp legislature, was under investigation for serious disciplinary violations.

The investigation comes amid persistent rumors of an investigation into former security czar Zhou Yongkang, who was Communist Party chief of Sichuan for several years.

During part of that time, Li likely worked closely with Zhou when Li was general secretary of the provincial party committee and head of its general office from 2000 to 2002, positions that make him the party chief's close aide.